iKnow You Well
by YES.SEDDIE
Summary: A series of moments that bring two people closer than ever before. It's Sam and Freddie...what more could you want?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! I'm so excited to start this new story. I know this chapter is not very long, and I'm fine with that because I just want to see how things go with this chapter. But, I promise the next one will be longer. Reviews are appreciated and I'm always open for suggestions and ideas. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer- I don't own anything...sadly :(**

Ch. 1 Way too early

It's Sunday morning, 7:00 A.M to be exact. I'm currently cursing under my breath for waking up this early. Who wakes up this early on a Sunday? As much as I try to go back to sleep, I finally admit defeat and get out of bed. I sleepily walk around my room and grab a pair of shorts and a light shirt. Judging from the glare of the sun on my window, today's weather is going to be hot. To complete my daily routine, I begin my ten minute morning shower. You see, ever since I was young, my mom has always timed my showers so that…you don't really wanna know, do you? Speaking of my mom, I'm pretty sure she already left for work, seeing as I don't hear any of the usual noise in the kitchen.

After I'm done with my shower, I head toward that kitchen and decide to spoil myself with breakfast. I finish making a batch of pancakes and start working on the stash of bacon I secretly hide in the back of the refrigerator. As soon as the bacon hits the pan, the delicious smell fills up the kitchen and the mental image of Sam fills up my mind. That girl sure loves her bacon. While I'm in the process of transferring the bacon to my plate, I feel my cell phone vibrate in my pocket. I almost drop the plate in surprise when I see the name flashing on the screen.

"Speak of the devil!" I answer.

"What are you talking about Fredweird?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just cooking up some bacon and I thought of you."

"Aw, Freddie, how sweet! You were thinking about me. Come on, admit it. You can't stop thinking about me." The amusement is clear in her voice. I try to ignore the usual teasing from Sam. It seems that I'm always giving her the perfect opportunity to mock me. But, over the years, I've certainly gotten used to the blonde's sharp wit and can even come up with a few witty comebacks myself. It also helps that the teasing has definitely become more playful and less hurtful.

"So, what are you doing up this early? I never expected Sam Puckett to wake up before noon."

"Actually, I didn't even sleep. Anyways, I decided to wake you up and annoy you early in the morning. I just didn't expect you to actually be awake," she replies, disappointed that I have unconsciously ruined her plan.

Of course, this counts as a victory for me. So, I just laugh as I ask, "And what exactly did you want to tell me this early?"

"Well, I was bored so I just decided to come up with new nicknames for you. I gotta admit. Some of them are getting old, so I thought I'd make up new ones."

"Awww, Sam. How sweet! You were thinking about me. Come on, admit it. You can't stop thinking about me. Can you?" I match her earlier words with equal amusement.

"Watch it, Frednub!" she says, clearly annoyed.

See, I've learned to shut her up every once in a while. "Ok! So, lets hear them."

"Hear what dorkface?"

"My new nicknames."

"Oh, yeah!" she says. I can hear the excitement back in her voice. "How about this? Freduccini Al…FRED…o! Get it? There's a "Fred" in the alfredo part. Isn't that so cool?" I can't help but laugh. It's truly amusing how Sam is willing to put this much effort to come up with my new nicknames. I wonder what would happen if she put as much effort into her schoolwork.

"Is that all you got?" I ask with a hint of laughter in my voice.

"Nope! But I think I'll save the rest for later," she replies in a smart tone.

"Ok! Whatever you say Princess P…" I am interrupted by a loud knock on the door. "Hold on." I quickly speak through my phone as I make my way to the door. Guess I'm not the only one awake this early. I open the door and the shock clearly shows on my face. Without even a simple greeting, she walks in while her blonde curls bounce behind her.

"Sam?" I question in disbelief.

"Well, you told me you were making bacon. So, what did you expect?" she replies like it was the most logical thing in the world. But, I know I can't really argue with her about that. She walks to the kitchen table and sits directly in front of the plate of bacon. She's already taking a bite when I reach her.

"Sure, Sam. Come in. Make yourself at home!" I can see her smiling at my obvious sarcasm.

"This is good bacon, Benson."

"How come you're not using any of the new nicknames?"

"I told you I'm saving them for later. Now come on, eat your breakfast, we have a long day ahead of us."

"What are you talking about?" I freeze in my spot. I don't want to think about what she has planned. But, she's right about one thing: today is gong to be a _long_ day.

*****Please don't forget to review! tell me what you think*****


	2. Chapter 2

**Just like I promised, this chapter is a lot longer. I hope you guys enjoy it and let me know what you think. As always, reviews are appreciated. **

**I kind of need your help with something. Last chapter, I mentioned that Sam has come up with new nicknames for Freddie. If you guys have any suggestions or ideas for these new nicknames, please tell me and I'll use some of them in this story (and of course, I'll credit you for your idea). **

Ch. 2 

"Aw come on, Sam! Why can't you go make someone else miserable today?"

"Look, it's not my fault. Carly was supposed to hang out with me today. But, she called me last night and said that she has to go with Spencer to some place to deliver his penguin sculpture. So, sadly, you were the only option left." She finishes with a sigh.

We ate our breakfast in peace. Well, as peaceful as possible, considering that Sam and I can't actually be quiet when we're together for more than 10 minutes. After finishing my plate, I immediately get up and starting gathering all the dirty plates and forks on the table. Once they are in the sink and the water is turned on, I look behind me to see that Sam has repositioned herself on the couch and has her legs stretched in front of her. I think I'm smart enough to realize there is no way she would get up and help.

About two minutes later, I feel a movement behind me. I can't believe it! Sam Puckett, one of the laziest people I've ever met, is helping me clean! I don't acknowledge her in any way in case it sets her off or makes her stop. I can hear her picking up the rest of the food and putting them in the fridge. Occasionally, I sense a faint smell of lavender and know that she's on my left putting the clean plates back in the cupboard. Lavender…Really?

I finally finish washing the dishes. I grab a towel to dry my hands and turn around only to find Sam casually leaning against the counter. Her eyes seem to be locked on the spot where I'm standing. I not-so-subtly clear my throat and her eyes meet mine. She looks as if she was caught off guard, but she still doesn't say anything.

"Ready to go?" I successfully end the silence. Awkward moments between Sam and I don't last that long. We always find a way to fill the silence. Our way includes some of the usual and out of control bickering.

"Yup! Let's go!" She opens the door and walks out while I follow behind her. I grab my cell phone and keys…wait, where are my keys?

"Sam, I'll be right there," I yell as I run to my room to look for them. I can't find them anywhere and I'm really starting to freak out. Surprisingly, Sam is still waiting and not yelling at me to hurry up. I realize she's probably already downstairs. Right when I walk into the parking lot, my eyes land on the shiny (and recently cleaned), black pickup truck with the blonde curls softly peeking out of the driver's seat window. It takes a moment for this to register.

"I can't believe you!" I let my frustration out when I reach the open window of my truck. "I was going insane upstairs. Do you know how long I've been looking for my keys? Did you just forget to tell me that you took them?"

"Well, you didn't ask me for your keys. If you did, _then_ I would've told you I took them. And stop whining, you've only been up there for like five minutes. So, what are you waiting for? Get in!"

"Get in," I mutter. "What do you mean 'get in'? Sam, get the hell out of my car, right now!" I'm so happy my mom isn't here. The things she would do to me if she heard me use that word again. But, I just couldn't help it. Sam takes my keys, doesn't bother to tell me, and then acts like nothing even happened.

"Ooooh! Well someone's a little bit too feisty this morning." Even though she says this in her usual "arguing" tone, I could see the little smile she tries to hide. "Ok fine, if I just say sorry, will you get over it and just get in?" she says impatiently.

I let out a loud, sarcastic laugh. "Yeah, you're really funny if you think I'm actually gonna let you drive. Very funny, Sam." I smirk at her.

"Why not? I already made myself comfortable."

"Did you forget what happened last time? And anyways, you still never got your license back after it got taken away last week. So, it's either you get out, or I'm not taking you anywhere." I cross my arms across my chest and stare at her expectantly. I guess I'm feeling braver than I thought.

"Did you forget I could break your face, Frediffer?" Yet, she knows she has no choice this time. While still insulting me, she gets out and walks over to the other side. She gets in again, this time in the passenger seat, and slams the door so hard that it makes the entire truck shake.

"You know you're acting like a 5 year old," I laugh at her. When I get in, I find that Sam has indeed made herself comfortable. It takes a few more minutes for me to readjust my seat to the way I like it. Then I turn to face her and say, "Ok Princess Puckett, where exactly are we going today?"

" Our first stop is gonna be 'We Fry Our Chicken'. They opened a new location right here in Seattle and I've been craving it for days."

"How can you be thinking about food? You just ate."

"Well, it's about 1 hour away from here. So, by the time we get there, I'll be hungry again. It's perfect," she declares with a smile.

I roll my eyes at her logic, "Alright, just tell me where to go."

1 hour later 

"You know, Fredlumps, for a nerd, I never expected you to actually have good taste in music," Sam admits.

"I honestly think you are the only one that is capable of both insulting me and complimenting in the same sentence," I reply.

"You're welcome," she says with a cheeky smile. "We should be getting closer, just make a left at the next light."

"Are you sure? Last time you told me to make a left, we ended up running away from hobos."

"Yeah and I have it all on video. The way you were screaming for your mommy when one of them chased you away with a hammer."

"It was not a hammer, it was an axe. Anyone with a brain would've reacted the same way. And may I remind you that the reason he chased me with an axe was because you stole his ham sandwich," I reply defensively, "and then you just left me."

She looks at me and starts laughing like it's the funniest thing in the world. I try to resist, but her laugh is too contagious. Soon, I find myself laughing just as loudly. After we both clam down, I refocus my attention to the road ahead of us.

"Sam, are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Yes, Freddie, I'm sure we're…Uh oh!" She's probably referring to the yellow sign in front of us that reads: DEAD END! "You know, I'm thinking maybe you should've went right instead of left."

I give her an annoyed look as I make a quick turn back. "I don't even know why I'm the one that has to suffer. How did I agree to this?" At this, she wiggles her eyebrows at me suggestively and giggles.

It takes a while before we make it back to the main road. Sam stays quiet the entire time, too busy changing the radio station every five seconds. She finally stops and a song I like starts playing. Without realizing, I begin humming along with the song. Once Sam notices that I'm actually enjoying it, she turns off the radio purposely. I ignore her and turn it on again. She slaps my hand and turns it off. I join in her childish behavior as we keep turning it off and on.

"Just stop Sam, you're gonna break it."

"Hmm…thanks for the idea Fredward. Let's see how many things I can break."

"I swear I will kick you out of the car and leave you in the middle of the road." I probably should not have said that. We start screaming at eacher other with equal intensity until I'm no longer paying attention to where I'm driving. I make a turn at the next street I see and stop the car there.

"What's WRONG with you?" I turn to face her as I yell. "We've been driving around for hours just to find that stupid restaurant you want. I don't even know where we are right now or where to go." I take a few deep breathes. She just looks at me with an unreadable expression. If only she would yell back, then maybe I wouldn't be feeling this guilty right now for yelling at her. "Look, I really don't mind driving you all around Seattle," I say in a much lower voice. "I just need you to calm down for a little. Actually, we both need to calm down and stop screaming at each other until we know where we're going."

"Yeah whatever, let's just go. Mamma's getting hungry."

I smile at her then turn the keys to start the car again. I press on the gas pedal, but the car doesn't move. "That's weird," I say out loud. I check to make sure the car is in fact on drive and then try again. The car still doesn't move.

Sam sits up in her seat (she doesn't have her seatbelt on, of course) and leans over. I'm too distracted by how close she is to see what she's doing. Her curls fly in my face as she sits back in her seat.

"You forgot to fill up on gas. Way to go, Freddie."

"You say it like it's my fault."

"It is your fault. Who's driving?"

"You know what, just forget it. It's not even turning on anymore. Now what are we gonna do?" I ask.

"I don't know. Can't we like push this thing to a gas station?"

"Yeah, I guess. But one of us has to stay in the truck and keep a foot on the gas pedal. And before you even think about it…the answer is no. I told you I'm never letting you drive my truck ever again."

"Fine! You stay here and I'll get out and push."

"Umm, Sam," I start hesitantly. "I'm not doubting your strength or anything, 'cuz trust me I know exactly how strong you are. But, I'm not gonna sit in here and let you push. I mean I know it's hard to believe, but you _are_ a girl." She recognizes my joking tone when I say the last statement, so she punches my arm lightly.

"Glad you finally noticed, nub."

"What do you mean?"

"Nevermind. Let's just figure out what to do. Maybe we should call someone." She flips open her phone while I stare at her with a dumb expression trying to decipher the meaning of her words.

* * *

"Who else can we call?"

For the past hour, we've called Carly and Spencer five times, but both phone were apparently turned off. Sam called her mom twice before she answered and told her she's getting a plastic surgery and doesn't have time for anything. We've both agreed that getting out and asking people for help would be a bad idea, especially after seeing a guy with a butcher's knife walk past us. Seriously, who walks around with a butcher's knife hanging on their belt?

"Well, there's one option left," I say nervously. She gives me a look which shows that she knows exactly what I'm thinking. It's weird how good she's become at figuring out what I'm thinking.

"No way! No freakin' way. The last person I want to see right now is your crazy mom," she says. She digs into her pockets and takes out a small bag filled with bacon.

"Where'd you get that?" I question slowly.

"Oh, I packed some bacon with me while cleaning the table, just in case I get hungry," she explains. She offers me the bag and I quickly take advantage of this. It's completely rare for Sam to ever share food with anyone. We sit in silence for a while and enjoy our bacon.

"It's almost painful for me to say this, but we almost look like best friends right now," I say.

"I knew it was a bad idea to share my bacon with you, you're starting to hallucinate" she replies, and I can tell from her eyes that she only means it as a joke.

"Why do I always end up in these messed up situations with you?" I ask, only half-serious.

"At least I make your life interesting, Benson" she laughs. I savor the moments when she's laughing, instead of taking out her anger on me. "I'm getting really bored. Can you put on some music at least?"

"This thing won't turn on, remember?"

"Ok then, I'll sing."

"You can sing? That's never been established."

"Well yeah 'cuz I usually don't go around singing in front of people, especially nubs like you."

"Why, Sam? Are you that scared to show your emotions?" My analysis of her behavior does not please her. She gives me a warning look that stops me from going any deeper into this subject.

The sound of her cell phone ringing breaks the tension in the atmosphere. "It's Carly," she says before answering. She explains the entire situation thoroughly, making it seem like what happened is my fault. She nods her head and says 'yeah' a couple of times before ending the call. Sam fills me in on the part of the conversation I could not hear. According to Carly, Spencer accidentally (or purposely) ate something that she can't really identify, and now he's sick in bed. The conclusion? He can't drive and therefore can't pick us up.

A couple of minutes pass by. Sam is staring out the window at nothing in particular. That's how I know she's thinking of a way to get us out of this mess. The only thing I can think of is calling my mom, but I'd rather leave that as the last option. I continue to watch Sam, amazed at how peaceful she seems. My ringing phone shakes me out of this daze and I quickly reach for it.

"Hello," I answer.

"Fredward Benson, where are you? I come back from work to find the house empty and my baby is missing. How could you leave me worried like this?" She's talking too fast and I can barely understand her anymore. Sam shifts around in her seat to face me with a teasing smile. Apparently, my mom is way too loud and Sam can hear her as well as I can.

"Mom! Mom, calm down!" I attempt to talk over my mom's hurried words. I inform my mom about my situation, leaving out as much details as possible.

"Are you with someone, Freddie? I know my baby boy and there's no way you would just leave the house for no reason and not tell me. Whose with you? Did you sneak out with a girl?" Yeah, I may have forgotten to mention that part to her. She keeps firing her questions at me while Sam's smile gets bigger and bigger.

I avoid looking at Sam as I answer my mom. "It's no big deal, mom. I just went out with Sam for a while and we got lost. I didn't sneak out or anything." I realize that I'm talking as fast as my mom.

"SAM? You went out with Sam? Oh I knew it! I knew this girl would have a bad influence on you. What are you guys doing? What is she doing to you? Are her lips anywhere near you?"

At this point, Sam is laughing uncontrollably as I try to hide the blush rising on my cheeks. _I can't believe my mom said that_. As quickly as possible, I try to describe my surroundings to give my mom any clues as to where Sam and I currently are. And trust me, when my mom needs to find me…she will, no matter what (especially when she knows I'm with Sam Puckett)!

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	3. Chapter 3

**I tried to update this yesterday, but I didn't have time. So here I am today. Hope you guys enjoy this! I just want to thank you guys for the reviews/alerts/favs. The more reviews I see, the more I write. So, thanks for the support!**

**Disclaimer-I don't own iCarly!**

Ch. 3

I can't wait until this week is over. I sometimes wonder whether teachers are getting paid just to make our lives hell. Many people give the impression that their senior year in high school is the easiest. Well, I beg to differ. I stay up all night to finish my homework, and I probably have a test every week. And I'm not the only one. I don't think I've seen Carly stress out so much. Heck, even Sam is actually studying (and copying _my_ homework). The three of us get together sometimes to go through the different college applications and consider our options.

Anyways, there's an hour left before school ends and I can barely keep my eyes open. I was up later than usual last night trying to work ahead on my homework. My mom told me to make sure I was free on Friday night, and I also have to consider the time I have to invest for iCarly. After the final bell rings, I walk lazily to my locker and grab a couple of books. I place them neatly in my blue backpack and make my way over to Carly's and Sam's lockers. Carly is talking excitedly and Sam is eating her daily dose of ham. They're both smiling. I stop at where they're standing, but I'm to sleepy to pay attention to their conversation. I catch a few words like "date", "Friday night", "so cute".

Just like any other Thursday, the three of us walk together and stop at the Groovy Smoothies before going home. It's our time to catch up on what happened at school, make plans for the weekend, and the time for Sam to find more ways to insult me. The girls' conversation from school has come to an end and their attention turns to me.

"So, Freddie, did your mom tell you what she wants you to do tomorrow?" Carly asks after sipping her Strawberry Splat smoothie. Sam makes a comment that I can't quite understand due to the fact that she is violently chugging her own smoothie. The red color of the smoothie has already tinted her full lips, which are perfectly surrounding her pink-striped straw. Both girls stare at me, awaiting my answer. I blink my eyes a couple of time to shift my focus from this image of Sam and direct my attention to the question.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you guys," I answer. "My aunt has another convention to go to, so she's leaving baby Stephanie with my mom, again. Well, she's not really a baby anymore; but, whatever. So, since my mom is working the afternoon shift on Friday, I'm stuck babysitting Stephanie."

Carly starts gushing about how cute babies are and wondering how baby Stephanie might have changed after all these years. Sam's phone beeps a couple of times throughout Carly's speculations. She ignores it at first, then gives up and opens it to read the new text message. Upon reading it, she stands up, says a quick goodbye, and rushes out the door. Carly and I share a confused look, but neither of us have enough energy to guess what might have happened.

* * *

It's Friday afternoon. I have little time before Stephanie is supposed to get here. I had to sit through my mom's torturous lecture for about 20 minutes as she listed off all possible phone numbers and emergency directions. I finally got her out the door and had a few minutes to myself. At exactly 6:00 p.m., just as promised, I hear the forceful knocking that I've come to associate with my aunt. In case you haven't figured it out yet, my mom is not the only crazy one in her family. I already feel bad for poor Stephanie for having to suffer the way I did. I open the door to reveal that I was right: Stephanie is not a baby anymore. It has been about two and a half years since I last her. I was fifteen back then. So, I do the math in my head quickly and conclude that Stephanie is about three years old now.

My aunt and I exchange our hellos hurriedly. She hands me everything I need to take care of her child for the next few hours and runs out the door in a manner so similar to my mom, it's almost scary.

"Hey, Steph," I pick her up. "Do you still hate me?" I say jokingly.

"Who are you?" I have never heard a 3 year old sound so mean. She definitely reminds me of someone. I wonder for a second if I'm actually going to be able to handle her, but I'm determined to make this work. She will like me again even if I have to shove pie in my face…again. I start to organize some of her things around the kitchen area when I hear someone knocking. I rush to the door thinking my aunt must have forgotten something.

"Sam? What are you doing here?"

"Thought I'd drop by and see if you need any help," she sounds bored as she says this.

"Yeah right, I'm not buying that!" We stay in the same positions for a couple of moments, waiting for her to tell me the real reason.

"I was over Carly's house and she's getting ready for her date. I had plans, which somehow got cancelled. So, I figured you're always available, might as well hang out with you. I got nothing better to do." She sighs so dramatically, it's almost funny.

"Now that's more like it. Why is it so hard for you to admit that you like hanging out with me?" I'm not really sure if she purposely ignored my question or if she even heard it at all. As soon as she sees Stephanie in the room, her attention is fully taken. She picks her up and turns toward me.

I lose the ability to speak as the pieces click in my mind. The similarity between them is unsettling. The blond curls, the big blue eyes, and right down to that evil smile that can get them anything they want. A perfect combination of sweet and vicious.

"She's so cute!" Sam says as she tickles her playfully. "Can she talk, Frediffer?"

"Yeah she can talk. But I'm warning you, her words aren't as cute as she seems." I say, referring back to the first words she told me.

"You're dumb!" Stephanie shouts at me as she repositions herself in Sam's arms.

Sam laughs loudly, causing Step to smile in return. "I don't know what you're talking about, Freddie. But, I think Stephanie and I are really gonna get along." Sam definitely approves of whatever mean trait Stephanie might possess, especially if it's directed at me.

Over an hour or so has passed already, and I find myself falling face-down on the floor. I groan in defeat and give up on chasing Stephanie around the kitchen table. You see, when I refused to let her play with my laptop, Sam gave her the idea to steal my Pear phone and run away until I give her what she wants. I seem to have lost the energy required to get up. So, I remain on the floor, totally conflicted. I don't know if I'm happy that Sam is here to help me with Stephanie (even though she doesn't know she's actually helping me!), or annoyed from the headache these two are giving me with all the running around and screaming that has been going on for the past hour.

"Freddie, we want food!" Sam yells from the couch. I guess running after Stephanie has tired her too.

"Yeah Freddie, we want food!" Stephanie echoes behind her. She has somehow adopted Sam's forceful tone, even though her pronunciation of the words is broken just like any other 3 year old.

I force myself to get off the floor and dust my clothes. I dig through Stephanie's bag and search for the wrapped sandwich my aunt told me to make sure her daughter eats. The weird smell lets me know that I found the right sandwich. I walk into the other room holding the sandwich at arm's length, and find both blondes sitting on the couch with their heads back staring at the ceiling. I pause at the doorway to admire their moment of peace.

Sam's hair is cascading down the back of the couch. There's only one strand of hair falling on her face. Her eyes are closed and one hand is resting on her stomach, indicating her hunger.

Stephanie is sitting in the middle, cushioned by two pillows. She tries to mimic Sam's position, but due to her lack of height, her head doesn't reach the top of the couch. She tilts her head backward and chooses to open her eyes, unlike Sam.

I sit right next to Stephanie, purposely trying to break them away from their trance.

"Where my food, Freddie?" Stephanie cries out as soon as she sees me. That catches Sam's attention, so she also turns to look expectantly at me.

"Here, Steph. I got you the sandwich your mom made." I hand the plate over to her.

And the screaming begins: "No, I dun wanna, I dun wanna. Eww! I dun wanna a sandwich!"

I look at Sam for help but get nothing in return. She just stares blankly at the both of us and eyes the sandwich in disgust. I turn back to Stephanie and try my hardest to persuade her to eat the sandwich, to no avail. She just keeps repeating the same words over and over while her voice gets louder and louder. Sam puts an end to our screaming by slowly taking the sandwich and throwing it against the wall. She looks unconcerned by the whole situation and then says, "Hey look! It sticks."

"Sam? What did you just do? My mom will kill me if she sees that." I'm already next to the wall trying to remove the sandwich. Man, that thing is really stuck!

"Come on, dude. How would you feel if you had to eat that thing? Give the kid a break. Her mom is just as crazy as yours. Since you already lost the chance to be normal, let's save this kid before it's too late."

"My mommy is craaaazy!" Stephanie says to no one in particular.

"Um, who is she talking to?" Sam asks.

"I think it's her imaginary friend. My mom mentioned this morning that my aunt is getting worried that her daughter has an imaginary friend. She thinks something is wrong with her. She's actually considering a therapist. Can you believe it?" I laugh at this before attempting to remove the sandwich from the wall again.

"Yeah your family is really…something," she shakes her head slowly and holds back her laughter. "Look Benson, all this chizz is making me hungry. Can we order pizza or something?"

I let Sam order the pizza while I get rid of the evidence on the wall, and Stephanie runs around the room yelling, "pizza, pizza, pizza!"

"Okay! Pizza will be here in 30 minutes," Sam announces. "By the way, I charged it on your mom's credit card."

"What? How?" I reply, even though I'm not sure I really want to know.

"It's not like I did anything illegal. When I went to look for the stain remover you asked me for, I opened the wrong drawer and found your mom's credit card. What's the problem with that?"

"Oh no! There's absolutely no problem with you using other people's credit cards without them knowing. That's not illegal," I reply. She waves off my sarcasm and turns on the TV. When Stephanie hears the noises coming from whatever Sam is watching, she gets more excited than she was before. She jumps on the couch and then plops herself next to Sam. She looks her up and down a couple of times as if studying her. Sneaking her hand behind the pillow, she quickly steals the remote control from Sam's hand. Sam looks at her in shock, probably as impressed as I am by the sneakiness of the 3 year old.

So far, the two blondes have gotten along just fine. However, Stephanie has not been with Sam long enough to recognize that a hungry Sam equals a cranky Sam. It doesn't matter who you are or how old you are, don't mess with Sam when she's hungry. When you've known Sam as long as I have, this is just common sense.

"Hey kid, give that back." Stephanie merely giggles and runs away from Sam with the remote in hand.

One way or another, when the doorbell rings twenty minutes later, the situation has changed completely. What started with Sam chasing Stephanie for the remote control has somehow turned into Sam chasing me around with the remote in hand, while Stephanie giggles and runs behind us. I get to the door, barely able to breathe. The pizza delivery guy hands me the pizza boxes. He examines my disheveled appearance and tousled hair, then looks at me weirdly. However, when Sam comes up behind me looking equally messy, his weird expression disappears, and he smiles at the both of us suggestively. Sam takes the boxes from me and goes back in. The delivery boy makes no attempt to move at all. His eyes follow Sam as she walks away.

"Can I help you?" It comes out meaner that I intend.

"No, I'll let you get back to…whatever you were doing," he says. He looks inside again and says, "Good job, man."

I make no effort to correct his false conclusions and close the door forcefully after he turns to leave.

The two girls are already halfway done with the first box when I reach the couch. Stephanie's face is covered in red sauce and the cheese is sticking onto her forehead. I grab a couple of paper towels and whip her face. Her drooping eyes tell me how exhausted she is. I sit between the two in order to take care of Stephanie, and get better access to the pizza. Sam seems to be in her own world, so I don't say anything to her, and just dig in.

Ten minutes, and 3 empty boxes of pizza later, all three of us are spread out on the couch, too full to even move. I find just enough energy to get up, then grab Sam's hand and pull her up with me. I don't let go of her until we reach the kitchen sink. After I leave her there, I find the baby wipes in Stephanie's bag. I walk back to Stephanie and clean her face and hands repeatedly, then throw away the empty boxes and plates. Stephanie is too sleepy and remains silent the entire time. Sam comes back into the room, smelling like my mom's dish soap, and falls heavily on the couch. Her eyes are shut, so she ends up sitting on top of me. I slowly move her to my right side, while Stephanie sits on my left.

* * *

I open my eyes slowly and try to guess what time it is. I'm trying to sit up, but the two weights on my sides stop me from moving freely. On my left, Stephanie is fully lying on the couch with only her head lying my arm. On the other side, I can only see Sam's head. Her face is not visible due to the position of her head on my shoulder. I decide not to disturb them, and to prevent any screaming that might occur if they both wake up.

However, the choice is no longer mine when the phone rings loudly. I pick up the phone and my aunt informs me that she's coming soon. This means I have about five minutes to clean up everything and get Sam out of here. I shake her awake and ask her to help me clean while I get Stephanie ready.

"Leave me alone, dork," that was her only response. I have no time to argue with her, so I focus my attention on Stephanie instead, who seems much calmer after her nap.

"Good girl, Steph," I encourage her as I help her change into cleaner clothes. I glance at Sam and see her slowly sitting up. "You're a good girl, unlike Sam. Look how lazy she is." Sam glares at me and sticks her tongue out. "And she's immature, too." This time, Sam gives me the finger with a simple smile on her face. I try to cover Stephanie's eyes, but she sees her and giggles.

"My aunt's coming."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm leavin'."

I follow her to the door and put a hand on her shoulder so she can turn around.

"Hey! Thanks for staying here and helping me," I try not to use too many words so she doesn't get annoyed.

"Pssht! I didn't stay here for you, I just really liked hanging out with Stephanie." I smirk at her and nod my head. "Later, Benson." She walks out the door.

And just in time. Exactly two minutes later, my aunt walks in.

"How's my baby?" she asks first. "Where is she?"

"Yeah, she's fine. Go over there, she's playing with her doll." She runs off and comes back with Stephanie in her arms.

"Did you have fun with Freddie today, honey?" she asks her. I pray silently that Stephanie doesn't mention Sam. Instead, she does something a lot worse.

"Mommy! Look what I do!" Stephanie takes out her right hand and sticks out her middle finger right in front of her mom's face. I stare at my aunt in fear.

"Fredward Benson! What have you been teaching my child?"

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	4. Chapter 4

**Heyy! I know this chapter should have be up about a week ago, but I was super busy all week. Sorry! Hopefully my next update will be much sooner. But for that to happen, I need you guys to give me ideas. When you review (and hopefully you will), just leave me a suggestion about what you would like to see happen next chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I didn't, don't, and will probably never own iCarly! :( **

Ch. 4

The bell rings loudly, indicating the end of 3rd period, and waking up about half of the students in my class. I wait impatiently as Mr. Fleck returns last week's test. I flip through the pages and look over my few mistakes. I knew I shouldn't have changed my answer on that last question. After putting the test in the correct folder, I adjust the strap of my backpack on my shoulder and walk over to the slim brunette standing outside the door.

"Hey, Carls."

"Hey, Freddie. Come on, let's go. I'm starving," she says, as we walk together towards the cafeteria.

Among the noise and chatter around the lunch room, Carly and I sit at our usual table. We soon find ourselves in one of the random conversations we haven't had in a long time. Halfway through our meal, Carly looks up at me seriously. She plays around with her fries, dipping them in ketchup one by one, then piling them on the side. She looks around the room nervously, but I can already tell that something's bothering her.

"What's up?" I ask her. I know that I have to be the one to start this conversation, or else she won't.

"Nothing, I just wanted to ask you about something." I nod my head at her, implying for her to go on. "Have you noticed anything different or like weird about Sam?"

"Like what?"

"That's the thing. I can't tell what's wrong with her. I usually always know, and it's killing me that I can't figure it out." She raises her hands in frustration. "She seems perfectly normal, well as normal as Sam can be. But, I keep noticing these little things about her. You know what I mean?" She notices my confusion and becomes frustrated again.

I fail to come up with an answer that might calm her down. Thankfully, I am saved by none other than the main subject of our conversation. Sam strolls through the lunch room and sits next to Carly. Grabbing the chocolate pudding cup on my tray, she peels off the plastic covering and looks around our table for a spare spoon.

"Hey, Sam," Carly says slowly as she watches her actions carefully.

"Hey, Carly," Sam replies without even glancing at her. She spots a plastic spoon next to my hand and reaches for it.

Carly turns her head towards me and squints her eyes in a way that says 'see?'. I shrug and turn my attention back to Sam. I think back on the last couple of days and try to remember anything unusual about Sam. As far as I remember, I didn't notice anything different. We hung out like we normally do during iCarly rehearsals, at school, or at Carly's place. Maybe the stress is finally getting to Carly's head!

I refocus my thoughts back to the present situation. The two girls' contrasting images makes them seem different in every way. The brunette's pin-straight hair flips away from her face and openly reveals her big brown eyes. The blonde's bouncy curls frame her face while her blue eyes barely peek through her long bangs. Carly pulls down at her miniskirt as she crosses her legs, and adjusts her sparkly purple shirt. Her eyes dart around nervously and I know she's probably planning something. Right next to her, Sam sits with a bored expression as she scrapes at the bottom of the pudding cup. She's wearing her usual khaki shorts and an oversized blue Galaxy Wars t-shirt. Wait…that shirt looks familiar! That's my shirt! How did she…I don't even want to know!

My eyes are still watching Sam carefully when she puts her head up and her eyes meet mine. I don't look away even when she raises an eyebrow at me. Sam takes this as a challenge and refuses to drop her gaze. My eyes are just starting to water when Carly slams her notebook on the table to bring us back to reality.

"So…Sam," Carly starts, stretching out each word. "You know Chris, from English class, right? Yeah, well he asked me out today."

"Cool," Sam answers her, clearly uninterested.

"Yeah, well I don't really know if I really like him yet, but he's so sweet. He wants to hang out at the Seattle Mall today. I told him I'd go…"

"Carly, where are you going with this?" Sam interrupts. It doesn't take Sam very long to realize when Carly is up to something.

"Nowhere! But I kinda told him that you would come with us too," Carly squeaks. Afraid of how Sam might react, she quickly continues, "And Freddie's coming too. Right, Freddie?" Carly looks at me pointedly. She kicks me not-so-gently under the table. "Right, Freddie?" she repeats with wide eyes. I quickly wipe the half-confused, half-pained expression off my face.

I clear my throat softly. "Um, yeah, yeah, I'm going." This exchange does not go totally unnoticed by Sam.

When Carly senses that Sam is getting suspicious, she immediately changes the direction of the conversation. "Please, please, please, Sam!" she pleads desperately. "Can't you just help me out? I'll be more comfortable if you guys are there with me. We'll just all hang out and have fun." she stares at Sam intently, and then tries her last trick, "Do I need to remind you who helped you when your mom had her plastic surgery last month?"

I've been subjected to Carly's manipulative ways countless times to know that Sam will definitely change her mind. And sure enough, Sam's features begin to soften slightly as she thinks all this over. Carly exposes her big smile, letting me know that she got exactly what she wanted.

After the bell rings, I leave the two girls alone and meet up with one of my AV club buddies to discuss when our next meeting is. We make it to our next class just before the second bell echoes around the school. We take our usual seats in the third row, right next to the window. The teacher begins lecturing right away. I already know the material, but it doesn't hurt to take notes. The sound of the classroom door opening overshadows the teacher's voice for a couple of seconds. Sam walks in without a word. The teacher seems somewhat surprised that Sam chose to make no remarks at all upon her entrance. I already know, even before she does, that Sam will take a seat right in front of me. (No, I'm not psychic! It's the only empty seat in the classroom). She realizes this after searching the room twice and finally makes her way over. Before sitting down, she stretches her body across the desk and opens the window as far as it can go. A smile appears on her face as the wind hits her directly. When she notices me watching her, I acknowledge her with a smile of my own and go back to my notes.

The gentle breeze makes everyone in the class sleepier than they were before. I can't help but tune out the teacher's monotonous voice and let my mind drift away. I find nothing remotely interesting to gaze at outside the window, so I choose to just stare right in front of me. Apparently, my mind is more fascinated by Sam's hair than by the scenery outside. I study each lock of hair separately. The sunlight only hits it slightly, creating a hint of shimmer across the blond waves. It's almost hypnotizing how the glare of the sun follows the wave of her hair, alternating between the dark and light portions of each strand. The longest layer of her hair hits the top of my desk, while the others flutter lightly around her head due to the wind.

"Stop staring at me, Fredweird," Sam's whisper cuts through my thoughts. It's loud enough for the few people around us to hear. I try to hide the intense blush spreading across my face. She's didn't even turn around. How on earth did she know? I quickly divert my attention away from her before she comes up with a suitable punishment to embarrass me even more in front of the class.

I stand in front of my full length mirror and run the comb through my hair one last time. Ok! I admit, I'm a little OCD when it comes to my hair. The weather is really nice outside, so I decided to wear my regular dark jeans shorts with a light blue polo shirt. I play around with the collar of the shirt and undo the top button. The outfit is casual enough for hanging out with your friends. It's supposed to be a date for Carly, but for Sam and I, it's just like any other day at the mall. Carly's going to be focused on her date the whole time, which basically leaves me and Sam alone. I'm sure that a year or two earlier, I would've been scared of the idea of me and Sam alone. But, lately the two of us have been hanging out together, and more than usual. I can't say we get along completely and all the time, but I definitely have fun at the end of the day. That's part of her charm I guess. No matter how vicious she gets, she knows how to have fun. The worst the will happen is I'll probably have to buy her food, and everything else she might want. That's nothing new. As long as I can stop her from doing anything illegal, or get us kicked out, then I really don't mind hanging out with Sam the rest of the day.

I grab everything I need and walk to Carly's place, expecting both girls to be there. Opening the always unlocked door, I find Carly pacing back and forth in her kitchen.

"Oh good, you're here. I was afraid Sam would get here before you," she says immediately after she sees me. She holds a bowl of grapes with both her arms and joins me on the couch. "Here's the plan," she starts. "Well, I don't really have a plan, but I just need you to watch Sam. I'm probably gonna be a little distracted with Chris, so just keep on eye on her to see what's wrong with her."

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a little," I stop talking right away when I see the way Carly is looking at me. "Where is Sam, anyways?"

"I sent her home to go change. She needs to wear something more flirty." How could you wear "flirty" clothes?

"Why?"

"Well, she needs to look cute for her date, too," Carly answers me. "Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, didn't I?" she looks a little apologetic. "I got you and Sam dates. They're not really dates, just people to hang out with, so you don't feel uncomfortable around me and Chris."

"You forgot to tell me?" I cry out.

"Sorry!"

"And Sam's okay with this?" I ask.

"Yeah, after I told her who it is, she was totally okay with it!" Carly laughs. I pop a grape in my mouth and ask her who the guy is. "Frankie Brooks, from history class. I'm sure you know him. And as for you, my awesome, smart best friend," she uses her 'convincing' voice, "Sandy Palmer, from my hobo party. You remember her right?" I nod my head, distinctly remembering the funny redhead.

We waster the rest of the time waiting for Sam by throwing the grapes up in the air and catching them with our open mouths. Carly is much better at this game than I am. I ponder my slight disappointment at the change of plans and throw another grape in the air. Just as the flying grape hits me in the eye, Sam walks in.

"You make it way too easy, Benson," she laughs, snatching a handful of grapes from the bowl in front of me.

Carly tries to hold her laughter in, but shares an amused smile with Sam. "I thought you were gonna wear the shirt I picked out for you, Sam?"

"Nah, it was too tight," she replies. Tight? Tighter than what she's wearing? Her tank top is literally stuck to her body, bringing my full attention to every curve she usually hides through the layers of clothing. The green color of the top contrasts with the soft pink color of the short-sleeve t-shirt she wears under it. Instead of the usual khaki shorts, she opts for much shorter washed-out jeans shorts. For a lazy person who probably hasn't seen a gym in two years, it's kind of surprising to see how toned her legs are.

I hear Carly calling her hot, and I unconsciously nod my head to acknowledge this fact. Carly stares at me kind of suspiciously, and I silently turn my attention back to the grapes before Sam notices what just happened.

"So, what's the plan? Are we waiting for them here?" I say as an attempt to end Carly's suspicious glare.

"No, we're gonna meet them there," she answers. She looks at the clock on the wall. "We should probably leave now. Spencer, we're leaving…" she yells the last part so Spencer, who is in the bathroom, could hear her.

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	5. Chapter 5

**I love you guys for reading my story! and I love your reviews! **

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Ch. 5

Sam and I roll our eyes for the fifth time as we listen to Carly's continuous droning about her dilemma with Chris. I keep my eyes on the road and press down on the gas pedal in an effort to get to the mall a little faster. Sam turns around to face Carly, who's sitting in the back. She sighs, "Carls, why don't you wait until you actually go on a date with him and _then _decide how you feel about him?"

"I guess you're right, Sam. I'm a just a little nervous, that's all," Carly replies with a deep breath.

"Why don't I play some of your favorite songs to calm you down? Sounds good?" Sam offers. Carly sends her a grateful smile in return. Sam quickly reaches forward to take control of my radio. Just before her finger touches the button, I place my hand on top of hers and move it back, away from the radio controls.

"Why don't you let me do that?" I say to her. A hint of annoyance is visible on her face. She becomes even more annoyed when I smirk at her. "We don't want a repeat of what happened the last time you were in this car!" I remind her.

"What are you talking about? What happened last time?" Carly asks from the back. Sam turns and faces the window, but not before I catch the small smile playing on her lips.

"Nothing happened, Carly," I answer her while chuckling quietly at the memories of the last trip I took with Sam. Carly becomes distracted by the song resonating through the car and hums along with the music.

"Hey, look! It's right there," Carly points to the already obvious mall. I glance at her from the rearview mirror and see that her nervousness has returned.

I park at the north entrance of the mall, and the three of us walk in, side by side. Carly fills us in regarding our plans for the rest of the day. We are to meet up with our "hangout buddies" (as she keeps referring to them) at the food court, and then decide whether to separate from each other or not.

When we reach the seating area in the food court, most of the people around us are being entertained by the screaming and swearing between the fiery redhead girl and the visibly fuming boy standing next to her. The scene seems even more familiar when I see Chris, Carly's date, standing in the middle, with his arms crossed. His expression changes immediately after he sees us approaching.

"Guys! Stop it!" he yells at the two of them. "They're here!"

He smiles at Carly and gives her a quick hug. The other two give each other one last look and walk towards us.

"Hey, Freddie. I'm Sandy. You remember me, right?" Sandy introduces herself, and flips her hair over her shoulder.

"Yeah, of course," I answer her. "I don't think I could ever forget that joke you told me last time I saw you." Sandy can tell some of the dirtiest jokes you've ever heard in your life. We engage in a little small talk, remembering some of our past encounters.

The six of us find a clean table. Carly, Sam and I sit on one side, while the other three face us directly. We all chat with each other for a couple of minutes before getting our food. Sam and Sandy know each other from detention, while I recognize Frankie from last year's pre-calculus class. I couldn't figure out how Sam and Frankie know each other, but judging from their loud conversation, I'm sure they've met before. It shocks me that Sam has not mentioned food at least once while talking to Frankie, even though I can tell how hungry she is.

"I really like your shirt, Sam," Frankie says randomly. I follow the direction of his eyes and realize that he's more a lot more interested in the low neckline of her shirt, than the actual shirt itself. The fact that Sam does not notice this and smiles at him makes me a little tense.

"Aren't you hungry, Sam?" I ask her, while keeping my eyes on Frankie.

She looks at me gratefully and says, "Of course, when aren't I hungry?" earning a laugh from everyone at the table.

"I really like a girl with an appetite, you know?" Frankie leans over and says suggestively. Ok, am I the only one getting annoyed by this guy?

The girls decide to remain seated, while the guys go and get the food. Sandy requests a cheese burger, so I head over to the "Inside Out Burger" section of the food court. I find Chris already there, waiting in line to get Carly her favorite salad.

"You havin' fun with Sandy? Look, you'll have a great time as long as you stay on her good side. If not, well then you've already heard her with Frankie when you first walked in," he informs me with a friendly laugh. "I should warn you, though. Sandy and Frankie…well, they have history, I guess you could say. I mean, they both claim they got over it, but you never really know. One second they're laughing with each other, and a minute later, they're trying to rip the other's head off. Kinda like you and Sam, from what Carly tells me." He looks at the table where the three girls, specifically Sam, sit and then looks back at me.

Chris steps up to the cashier to place his order, and leaves me to wonder about what he just told me. After he's got his and Carly's food, he passes by me again, but I really have nothing to say. It's my turn to order the food. I get the cheese burger for Sandy, an original inside out burger for me, and a plate of fried chicken for Sam, just in case Frankie forgets to get her some.

I walk back to our table, dodging a pair of little kids running around with ice cream cones in their hands. Sam quickly notices the fried chicken on the tray I'm carrying, and reaches for it.

"See, girls! I told you Freddie wouldn't forget my fried chicken," she says, taking a big bite. Carly and Sandy smile at each other, while Sam disappears in her own world (a world filled with fried chicken). Frankie appears next to me and sets his tray on the table. A sense of satisfaction fills me when I see that there is no fried chicken on any of the plates he bought.

We spend a little more than an hour eating, and casually going from one topic to another. We then decide to split up, each two agreeing on a certain place. Sandy and I walk around aimlessly with no particular store in mind. She's really easy to talk to and seems like a very good friend. Our conversation does not stray away from the friendship line, which makes us both more comfortable. We visit a couple of stores without buying anything. Sandy becomes a lot more enthusiastic when she sees that her favorite music store is open. The name of the store, "Entertainment 'R Us", flashes in big, red letters at the entrance. Most of the shelves and tables are dominated by music-related products. However, there are a few sections dedicated to books, movies, and videogames.

I walk with Sandy through the various shelves of the music section. We play through a few samples, enjoying some of the older songs I haven't heard in a while. I help her decide between various choices. She leaves to search for something else, while I wander into the books section. Even though they say don't judge a book by its cover, I find myself drawn to the front cover of a book filled with elaborate and glossy drawings. I flip to the back to the read the summary as more people enter the store. I notice, from the corner of my eye, Sam's unmistakable blonde curls. I don't know what stops me from revealing myself, so I stay hidden behind the shelves.

Suddenly, my interest in the book has shifted to something (or someone) else. I observe intently each of her moves and interactions with Frankie. They pick through the organized music CD's on the shelves, similar to what Sandy and I were doing moments ago. They look like they're having fun, but at the same time, I can see that there is something missing. I can't quite put my finger on it. Frankie points to the videogames section, letting Sam know where he's going. She nods at him and tells him something that I can't hear.

She remains at the exact same spot, but turns around slightly to face the door and watch the people passing by. I watch her even more closely…and it's finally clear what Carly is talking about. There really is something wrong with Sam. It's not obvious to someone who doesn't know her. I have a hard time trying to describe what's wrong with her. Just like Carly said, it seems like Sam is normal, but at the same time, it is so clear now that she's not. It's in the way she stands there, leaning on the stand, the way she looks ahead without really seeing anything, the way it takes a lot of effort for her to smile and make us believe her smile. Her expression is a mixture of confusion and even sadness. To me, she just looks lost.

I try to move a little closer, still undecided on whether or not I want her to see me. I glimpse Frankie walking towards Sam, and I move swiftly behind the shelf on my right to prevent them from noticing me. I pretend to be interested in the book in my hand when Sandy approaches me. She shows me the couple of things she plans on buying before actually making her purchase. As soon as she leaves, I turn my attention back to Sam. Frankie is talking to her again, and she smile at him, even though the distant look is still in her eyes. I move a little closer to them, close enough to be within hearing distance of the pair.

"I really like your smile, Sam," he tells her. Can't he see that she's not really smiling? That her smile doesn't reach her eyes? Can't he see that there is no twinkle right on the outer edge of her irises, where the blue color of her eyes is the lightest?

Sandy joins me again with a white and red bag in her hand. We leave the store, but my mind is still fixed on the image of Sam and the realizations I just had. I'm sure Carly will be happy to know that she's not the only one, now, who thinks that something is wrong with our mutual best friend.

* * *

It's almost dark outside when all six of us meet up again and decide to call it a day. It appears that Carly has abandoned all her nerves and had a great time with Chris. She pulls Sam and I aside and whispers to us excitedly that Chris offered to take her for a drive in his car and then he'll drop her off home later. Sam shares her excitement and I walk away from them to ask Sandy if she wants me to drive her home.

"Thanks, Freddie. That's sweet. But I don't need to bother you. Frankie lives a couple of blocks away from me, so he's just gonna drop me off on his way home," she notifies me. "Thanks again. I had so much fun today. We should definitely hang out together again."

She follow Frankie out the door, with Chris and Carly are right behind them.

"Come on, Sam. You want me to drop you off at home?" I ask her.

"Nah! Carly told me to wait for her at her place until she comes back," she answers. "Just our usual sleepover. But I know she can't wait until she tells me everything that happened today."

We walk to my car, our shoulders pressed together, even as Sam swings her arms back and forth as far as they can go. I smirk at her and the little things that amuse her. I think back on my thoughts earlier in the day and try to observe Sam now that she's at a closer range. All the earlier indications that something is wrong have completely disappeared. She moves freely and seems to be dancing as she walks. A laugh escapes her when one of her twirls almost makes her fall. She recovers and looks up at me. I immediately notice the twinkle back in her eyes. It makes me happy and I can't help but smile at her. I hold her arm gently and lead her through the last few steps towards the car, before she actually hurts herself.

We're halfway there to our destination, Bushwell Plaza. Neither of us has said much, but we both seem to like it that way right now. She alternates between looking out the window or looking in front of her. I catch her glimpsing at me two or three times, but she doesn't say anything.

I momentarily end the silence by asking, "Is something wrong, Sam?" I just had to ask.

She looks at me somewhat surprised, but it doesn't really show. She shakes her head and turns back to the window without further explanation.

Somehow, this answer is enough for me. Even though I may have witnessed something else earlier today (when she didn't know I was watching her), but at this moment, I believe her. If Carly were to ask me how or why, I really wouldn't know how to describe it. But, I no longer see the sadness or the confusion in her expression.

We finally reach the eighth floor. I fumble with my keys to find the right one, as Sam gets Carly's keys from its hiding spot.

Then…we just stand there. Facing each other. I have no idea how we ended up standing this close. I find myself rooted to this spot on the floor, unable to move, simply because of the way she's looking at me now.

" 'Night, Freddie," she almost whispers. She turns around, works the key into the lock, and disappears inside.

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	6. Chapter 6

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Ch. 6

The buzz around the school is hard to overlook. Colorful posters and signs are at every hallway and around every corner, displaying the senior's upcoming events before graduation: last-minute fundraisers, club meetings, talent show tickets, among many other activities, including the most popular (and the most glittery) prom posters.

Almost every senior at Ridgeway is excited for the "big day". The gossip and the conversations about dresses and dates have already began radiating. As expected, Carly is the most excited member of our trio. Sam would only share Carly's excitement for a limited amount of time, before getting bored, while I remain indifferent to the entire situation. I mean, sure, prom is an important milestone in high school, but I could care less what theme it's going to be, how expensive my tux should be, or what color dress my date will wear. Speaking of dates, Carly is currently filling in Sam and I on the details of how Chris asked her to prom.

"Even though I knew he's going to ask me, I was still so surprised when he did," she stretches out her words. "Oh my god, the roses he got me were so cute. You know, I'm so happy things between me and him worked out after all. I really like him now. Like I don't want him to be just a date to prom, I want to go with him as his girlfriend. Do you think I should tell him?" Man, that girl talks really fast!

"Oh my god, here he comes. Shhh, act normal," she whispers. It's typical Carly behavior to shush everyone around her even if she was the only one talking. Sam and I shoot her a exasperated look, but she's too distracted by Chris to notice us.

After a short while, Sam speaks up, "I'll see you guys later. I have to go to class."

Even Chris seems surprised that Sam wants to get to class on time. "Yeah, this is weird for me too," she says. "But I've been late to Brigg's class every day this month, and she threatened to fail me if I'm late again." She waves at us and walks up the stairs, two at a time.

When the first bell rings a couple of minutes later, everyone else starts rushing to get to class. Chris gives Carly a peck on the cheek and heads to class. I'm about to do the same, minus the kiss on the cheek, when Carly pulls my arm and holds me back.

"What's up?" I ask her.

"I forgot to ask you who you're taking to prom?"

"Oh! I don't really know. I haven't asked anyone yet." I shrug. A thought pops into my mind, and before I can control myself, I'm already saying it out loud, "I just kinda thought since you're going with Chris for sure, and Sam is as excited as I am for prom then…I don't know…I thought me and her will just go together, as friends," I just realized how that might have sounded to Carly. But it is way too late to take it back.

I can't quite interpret the suspicious look that Carly is giving me, but surprisingly, she chooses not to comment on my slip-up. I quickly try cover up for my mistake, "I mean, I'm just saying, if Sam doesn't have a date or anything," she's still giving me that look. "But if she does, then that's cool, too." I say this so fast, I'm not sure if she actually understood me.

"Yeah, don't worry 'bout Sam, she already has a date. Frankie asked her yesterday. She agreed to go with him to stop the other guys from asking her. I don't understand that girl sometimes," she giggles.

"Oh! Okay, yeah, cool!" I attempt to say this in a casual manner.

"Well, anyways. Why don't you ask Sandy? It looked like you guys had fun last week at the mall. Or do you have anyone else in mind?"

"No, not really. But that sounds like a good idea. I think I'll do that," I consider her suggestion.

" 'Kay, I'll see you after class, Freddie," she says. She takes a few step, then turns around again, "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask you…about Sam?"

"Yeah?" I answer nervously, thinking she's going to ask about what I said earlier.

"I just wanted to know if you found out anything about her. Did you figure out what's wrong with her?"

I think carefully before I answer, "No, I didn't." I don't want to tell her about my realizations that day at the mall. Carly seems to be in a very good mood lately and has been a lot less stressed, I didn't want to worry her. She nods and turns to leave.

* * *

I put my pencil down and hand in my quiz. Most of the class is still working on it, which makes me glad I actually studied for this last night. While waiting for the others to finish, my mind drifts to the numerous thoughts floating through my head.

I reflect on Sam's relationship with Frankie. Sam has mentioned that they've been hanging out. She says he's fun to be around with, but that's it. She thinks of him as a friend and nothing more. I can't understand my own pleased reaction when she told me she's never kissed him.

If Sam's going with Frankie to prom even though he's only a friend, then I guess there's no harm in asking Sandy to go with me as friends. And that's exactly what I did after class.

I find Sandy at her locker with a couple of friends.

"Hey, Freddie," she say cheerfully. She shuts her locker and walks with me in the opposite direction, away from her friends. "What's up?"

"I think you can probably guess," I tell her. She nods her head and giggles, but indicates for me to go on. "So, prom is coming up soon and I just wanted to ask you if you would like to go with me?"

She studies me closely before speaking up.

"Before I give you an answer, I want to ask you something, too."

"Sure," I say, curious as to what her question may be.

"I have a feeling that you're not asking me 'cause you really want to go with me. I mean, you want to go with me, just not as a date, but more like friends. Am I right?" She does not sound mad or hurt when she says this. In fact, when I tell her that she's right, she actually smiles.

"Alright, then. I'll go with you to prom, Freddie."

"Okay?" I reply, clearly confused.

"Look, the truth is, I'm glad you asked me. I know that you don't have any feeling for me, and the same goes for me," she hesitates before continuing, "I don't know if you've heard about Frankie and I…"

"Oh, I've heard," I interrupt her.

"Yeah, well, I kinda still like him, and I think he does too," she blushes. "I just need to make him a little jealous so he can realize it. Don't think I'm using you or anything, I know I'm gonna have fun going with you. And you don't even have to worry about doing anything or putting any effort to make him jealous. Just as long as you're with me…that's your job basically," she laughs.

I couldn't say no to her offer. To be completely honest, I'm probably in the same boat as her. So, I'm using her as much as she's using me.

"You've got yourself a deal," I say, jokingly, making her laugh again. "See you later, Sandy."

"Okay! And don't worry, Freddie, I'll try my best for you to her a little jealous, too." She winks at me.

"Who is 'her'? Who are you talking about?"

My reaction amuses her. She just giggles (again) and wiggles her fingers, "Bye, Freddie."

I spend the next two minutes still standing in the same position, before finally figuring out who she was referring to. Like I said before, I'm using her as much as she's using me.

* * *

I step out of Room 227, where the AV club meeting of the week has been going on for the past hour. Before leaving the school, I stop at my locker to get another textbook, and make my backpack much heavier.

The hallway seems to be empty. When I turn to walk back towards the exit, an invisible force makes me trip and I have to hold on the wall to prevent me from falling. It's only then that I hear a giggle behind me. It's Sam, sitting on the floor, underneath her own locker, with a bag of bacon in her hands.

"Thanks for the entertainment, Freducation," she laughs again. "I was really getting bored."

I ignore her jibe, "What are you doing here, anyways?"

"I got out of detention a while ago, but I'm waiting for my mom to come pick me up."

"I can drop you off, if you want," I offer.

"I don't really have a choice, I have to wait for her. Her boyfriend of the week dumped her this morning. So, she wants to spend the rest of the day with me, at this stupid spa. She said something about not needing a man, and making herself feel good. I don't know, I wasn't really listening. But, she told she's gonna buy me as much ham as I want, so I agreed to go with her." She takes another bite of her bacon.

"Of course!" I reply, sarcastically. I sit on the floor next to her. "So, why were you in detention? I thought you went to Brigg's class early today."

"Yeah, that was the plan," she says. "On the way to class, I got hungry, so I snuck into the lunchroom and got caught. Principal Franklin talked to Briggs so she won't fail me for being late again, but I still have to serve double detention. One for being late, and the other for getting caught with two plates of food in my hands." She grins proudly at her own accomplishments.

"Sam, lunch is right after that class. Couldn't you just wait?"

"No," she replies, almost offended. "When I get hungry…mamma needs her food."

I shake my head at her and sit in silence. I stare down the hall and spot the sparkly poster right next to the fire alarm, with the word 'prom' written across in big letters. I can't help but bring up the subject now that I'm alone with her.

"So…prom?" Well, that was lame! I inwardly curse myself.

"Heard you're going with Sandy," she replies quickly, as if she's eager to have this conversation with me as well. "She told me when I saw her in detention. She's really excited, you know?" Sam doesn't look too happy when she says this, which makes me think that Sandy has already started her unofficial "make her jealousy" operation.

"You don't seem excited?" She doesn't answer. "You're going with Frankie, right?"

"How'd you know?"

"Carly," I state simply.

"Of course," she says. "It's nothing really. We're just going as friends."

I nod to show her that I understand, and wish that I had the guts to tell her that Sandy and I are going as friends too.

"Actually, I am excited…but," she pauses. "Well, I'd hate to sound like a typical high school girl, but I honestly doubt that it's gonna live up to all the prom, fairytale chizz that everyone talks about. They make it seem like it's magical or something. I mean, do you know how many girls I know that have spent years dreaming about the day of their prom? 'The perfect prom day'?" she actually air quotes her last statement.

"Wait, I thought girls always dream of the perfect 'wedding' day?"

"Girls dream about a lot of days, Benson." I laugh at the way she says that.

"They dream about the day they get their first boyfriend, and the day they get their first kiss, their first dance, the day they meet the 'one', the day he proposes. And the list goes on, leading up to the most important, which is the day of their perfect wedding," she literally lists them on her fingers, one by one. She then turns to face me and concludes, "And all guys dream about is the day they get laid."

I couldn't control my laugher at her unexpected, and blunt, comment. Her annoyed expression when she says this makes me laugh even more.

"Very funny, Sam. But not true! We may not admit it, but we dream of other things too."

"Yeah, whatever," she says.

And we resume our silence once more. My thoughts circle around only one of the phrases she said. The second thing in her list that girls dream about. I wonder what she might have dreamed about that particular instance.

"So, did it live up to your expectations?" I ask slowly, completely aware of the confusion (and awkwardness) I will cause.

"What are you talking about?" She squints her eyes and pushes the hair off her face.

"Well, you said that girls dream about their first kiss, right? Did your first kiss live up to your expectations and dreams?" I consider myself pretty brave for being able to ask her that question.

The look she gives me doesn't resemble any of the vicious and intimidating ones that I got used to years ago. Instead, she looks at me the same way she did that day on the fire escape, with a mixture of softness and vulnerability in her eyes, which Sam rarely ever shows.

I turn to face her, to clearly see the emotions flickering in her eyes, as she analyzes my question. I can tell she really wants to know why I had asked such a question about something we promised to never speak of again. Heck, I don't even know why I asked that question. Or why it's so important for me to hear her answer. Maybe I'm hoping it will bring me a step closer to actually understand my (growing) feelings for the blue-eyed beauty, sitting right next to me.

I am lost in the intensity of the situation I have put us in. I can no longer control my body's movements, but I can definitely fell my head moving closer. I sense no opposition from Sam. My heart jumps in anticipation at the possibility that we might reenact exactly what I had asked her about.

Her eyes are just starting to close, when I register the distinct ringing of her cell phone. She opens her eyes and slowly pulls back. The sound of the ringing seems so loud compared to the silence that engulfs us.

She breaks our eye contact and digs through her pockets for her phone.

She clears her throat and answers, "Hello? 'Kay mom, I'm coming." She says this quickly, but I notice the subtle shaking in her voice.

Without a word, or even a look, she gathers up her stuff and hurries out the door.

**Oh! So close! Don't look at me like that. It's not my fault! Sam's mom was the one that called and interrupted them...not me! **

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**EDIT: I was thinking of writing about Sam and Carly dress shopping in the next chapter. I'll probably have to write it Sam's POV. What do you think? Would you like that idea? and I'll make sure to include seddie in it. Just tell me what you think so I can start writing. **


	7. Chapter 7

**I honestly tried to update this much earlier, but I've been so busy. But, I'm trying my best to get these chapters done as fast as I can. And I promise you can look forward to the next chapter because a lot of you will be getting what you want! Again, thanks for the wonderful reviews and support! **

**Disclaimer- I don't own iCarly! **

Ch. 7

She's ignoring me. I just know it! But she's too good at lying that no one else seems to notice.

She has been ignoring me ever since the day of the almost-kiss. My heart still jumps every time I think of it, and trust me, I've been thinking of it a lot. In the past week, I can probably count, on one hand, the number of times she's actually talked to me. She only acknowledges me if Carly is standing anywhere close to us. She either throws me one of the usual nicknames or a quick insult, just to make things seem normal. I never thought I'd wish to hear those insults.

I walk to the girls' lockers. They stop talking immediately when they see me. I hate it when they do that!

"Hey, Freddie."

" 'Sup, Fredbag."

The two say together. I choose not to comment or ask about the sudden closure of their conversation, mainly due to the fact that I'm too focused on the blond with her head down, staring at the floor.

"Come on, let's walk home. I've got some stuff to do before we leave," Carly says cheerfully.

"Leave where?" I ask. We take our usual path towards Bushwell Plaza. Carly's in the middle, with Sam and I on each side.

"We're going dress shopping," she claps her hands together and lets out a little squeak. "I'm so excited." After getting no reaction from me, she turns to Sam, who gives her trademark bored expression in return. Carly's smile drops. "Come on, Sam. Aren't you excited? We're gonna have so much fun." She smiles again to emphasize her words.

"_We _are not doing anything 'cause _I _am not going. I already told you Carly, I don't feel like going," Sam answers her.

"Fine," Carly folds her arms and frowns, looking like a two-year old whose about to throw a tantrum. "Just remember, you're gonna have to go eventually. You can't just walk into prom in jeans and a t-shirt. But whatever, I'll go by myself and have no one with me," Sam rolls her eyes at Carly's dramatic sigh, while Carly continues, "…you can stay with Freddie and work on the next iCarly."

This, however, causes Sam's eyes to widen, and her eye brows shoot up and disappear behind her bangs. She gives me a quick glance before quickly interrupting Carly, " Ok fine, I'll go with you Carls. You're right, I'll have to find a dress sooner or later."

Carly squeaks again and hugs Sam, while jumping up and down.

I simply stare at Sam. She's literally willing to do anything to avoid me. She even agrees to go dress shopping with Carly, which isn't exactly on the top of favorite things to do, just so she can avoid spending time with me. She notices me staring at her but quickly turns away.

We walk the rest of the way home in silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts.

* * *

**General POV **

The two best friends stroll side by side, their steps seemingly synchronized. One of them laughs at something the other has said as they enter one of the stores. They go through one store after the other. The brunette comes out with small bags for her purchases, while the blonde comes out with different types of foods and drinks.

"Oh! I can't believe I didn't think of this before," Carly exclaims. "There's a really cute boutique across the street. I used to love going there with my grandma when I was younger. Let's hope it's still open, they have some really nice dresses," she stops to scowl, "Sam? Will you stop eating? Are you even listening to me?" She grabs Sam's arm and pulls her forward across the street.

Carly pushes open the door of the boutique and a small gasp escapes her. She lets go of Sam's arm and admires her setting. The large walls are painted a soft lilac, creating an iridescent effect throughout the interior. Tall, framed mirrors are placed at every corner and reflect off the soft lighting radiating across each wall.

The owner of the store approaches them, carefully placing each foot to maintain her balance. She has a sweet and welcoming face. Her silver hair is tied back in a tight bun around her neck, where the yellow measuring tape rests. She peeps at the two girls from behind her round glasses and welcomes them to her boutique.

" 'ello, sweeties. You can call me Mrs. Dupont or Claire, whichever you prefer. And you are?"

"I'm Carly. And that's Sam," Carly puts on a big smile.

She nods at each of them and begins her tour of the small, but beautiful boutique. She wobbles slightly as she leads the two girls and walks them through every section and rack of the store. Sam can't hide her amazement at the number of dresses that surround her as she walks behind a clearly mesmerized Carly.

Thirty minutes later and the two girls are still in the same store, going through numerous dresses, trying on one after the other. Well, actually, it's only Carly that's trying on dresses, while Sam positions herself on the side, giving her opinion whenever necessary.

"Come on, Sam. This is so fun! You've only tried on one dress," Carly whines.

"Yeah? And did you see the way I looked?" Sam replies.

"Just because one dress didn't look good, it doesn't mean you stop trying," Carly tries to persuade her. "I really want us to find the perfect dresses." She picks up a short pink dress and hands it to her friend. Sam raises an eyebrow at the choice of color and picks up a black and white one instead, then goes to her separate fitting room.

It takes a couple of minutes before she comes back out again and heads toward to the closest mirror. Carly joins her immediately. They stare at Sam's reflection in the mirror, then burst out laughing together. The dress Sam picked blindly is the exact definition of something she would never wear. The entire top part of the dress is completely beaded and holds her body so tightly, she has trouble breathing. On the other hand, the bottom of the dress is probably the puffiest skirt she's ever seen.

"It looks horrible," Sam says, still laughing.

"See? I told you this is fun. Let's go pick out some more," Carly replies.

They spend the rest of their time trying on as many dresses as they can, each different than the other. They laugh at the silly designs of some, eliminate the ill-fitted ones from their pile, and make a separate pile of the ones they like.

Their conversation carries on whether they are each in their own fitting room, or both are standing together at the mirrors.

"Can you please just try on this pink one? Please, Sam! For me?" Carly begs. She comes out of her fitting room first.

"That doesn't work on me, Carls," Sam chuckles. "I'm not Freddie."

"Yeah, I think it stopped working on him too," Carly laughs. She twirls in front of the mirror a couple of times before noticing Sam coming up behind her. "Aw! You look so cute!"

Sam throws her a glare, "You'll never catch me wearing this thing alive. I only tried it on to shut you up."

"Oh don't worry. I don't really want you to wear pink, anyways," Carly answers her.

"Why not?"

" 'Cause Sandy told me that she's wearing a pink dress, and I don't think it's a good idea for any of us to go wearing the same color, you know what I mean? It's okay with me because Chris told me he doesn't want to wear pink," she smiles slightly as she says his name. "Freddie said he doesn't care, he'll do whatever Sandy wants. Do you think he actually likes her?"

Sam, who's playing with the fabric of the dress, freezes immediately and almost rips her dress in the process. Her expression changes considerably and Carly notices.

"Are you okay?" She asks.

"Yeah, I just can't take being in this dress any longer." Her lie does not comes out smoothly.

"Sam? I'm your best friend. Don't think I've haven't noticed how weird you two have been acting all this week? Did something happen?" Carly's eyes widen and she gasps at Sam, "Oh my god! Did you guys kiss again?"

Sam flinches at her words and her expression become darker, which makes Carly more suspicious. Sam turns around to walk back towards her fitting room.

Carly stops her by grabbing her arm. "Sam, wait! I'm not mad or anything. You can tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened, Carls. And no, we didn't kiss. I don't know what the hell made you say that. Everything's okay and I'm fine," she turns back around. "I'm going to change." She closes the door behind her.

Carly stares ahead of her before recollecting her thoughts.

"Just five minutes ago, you were smiling and laughing and having fun. As soon as I mention his name, you change completely. So, don't even try to convince me that everything's okay and you're fine," Carly speaks to her through the door. Her tone is soft, but serious. The noise coming from Sam's fitting room stops, indicating that the words have affected Sam.

The silence in the boutique goes on for a while before Mrs. Dupont makes an appearance.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you ladies. But I just want to let you know that I'll be closing up in an hour," she offers a smile and wobbles back to the front of the store.

"Okay, Mrs. Dupont. We're almost done."

Carly lets out a defeated sigh before going to try on a couple more dresses in hopes of find the one she wants. She comes out to find Sam's door still closed. Carly sighs again and walks to the mirror by herself.

She takes on good look at her reflection and all other thoughts are gone.

"Sam! I think I found it!" she yells in excitement.

Sam peeps her head out the door before walking out. She stares at her friend, admiring every detail of the dress. A big smile appears on her face.

"It's beautiful, Carly," she whispers. She looks up to find that Carly's attention is focused on Sam instead.

"Sam? Where did you find the dress you're wearing?" she says, barely concealing a grin.

"It was all that way at the end of the pile. I thought I'd try it on before we leave. Why? Do you like it?"

"Just come here and see for yourself," Carly grabs Sam by the shoulders and moves her towards the huge mirror. "You look amazing!"

"How funny is it that we both find our perfect dresses just before we leave!" Carly starts laughing. "I absolutely love them!" she jumps up and down and hugs Sam, almost lifting her up. "Oh my god! We look so hot! I can't believe how pretty these dresses are!"

With smiles on their faces, they both quickly gather up their stuff, change back into their clothes, and go buy their dresses. The elderly owner congratulates them on their choices and wishes them luck.

"Well, that's one thing we took care of. The rest is up to you," Carly speaks up as they exit the boutique.

"What do you mean?"

"Look, Sam. It wasn't only this week that I noticed how weird things are. Just because I'm a little distracted with Chris, it doesn't mean I've been totally blind to what's going on with my best friends. I know something's wrong and I was hoping it would be your choice to come talk to me about it."

Sam hesitates slightly, "Nothing's wrong!" she pauses again. "I don't know how to explain it, Carly. But I promise I'm fine, and I'll always talk to you first if something is wrong. Okay?"

"Okay!" Carly replies. "But…I don't think it I'm the one you should talk to this time."

* * *

It's almost dark when the two girls stop at the intersection near Groovy Smoothie.

"The bus stop is a couple blocks away from here," Sam says.

"Alright, you go ahead. I'll just walk home. Do you want me to keep your dress at my place? I'm sure it'll be a lot safer there."

"Sure," Sam chuckles softly.

Carly hugs her best friend one last time.

"That's enough hugging for one day, Carls," Sam whines.

"Okay! But remember what I told you," she says before she starts walking again.

Sam nods her head at no one in particular and starts walking the opposite direction. Her mind wanders to what Carly had told her before. She knew exactly who Carly was referring to when she told her to talk to _someone else_. She's thought about this before. She's thought about marching up to him and telling him…telling him what exactly? She admits that she has been avoiding him just a little, and that's one of the reasons why. She has no idea what to say. But, the main reason being what _almost_ happened about a week ago.

While she was lost in her thoughts, her body had a mind of its own. Her legs have carried her in a full circle, and she finds herself in front of Bushwell Plaza. It seems that her subconscious is definitely trying to tell her something. Why was she standing there when the bus stop is in the exact opposite direction?

She hesitates before grabbing the door handle and pulling it forward. She ignores Lewbert's yelling about "No one in the lobby after dark". One by one, she climbs the stairs, trying to waste as much time as possible. Finally, she reaches the 8th floor of the building. Instead of her usual path towards 8C, she faces the opposing door, with the sign 8D written on the side. Her vision blurs slightly as she stares at the door, completely motionless.

Once again, her body takes control and her hand raises up to knock softly on the wooden door.

Through her eyes, the door appears to be opening in slow-motion. She sees him standing there, somewhat surprised to see her. He runs a hand through his hair, while the other hand is still on the door.

"Sam?" He whispers her name. "What are you doing here?"

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**I purposely did not give any descriptions about the girls' dresses. You'll just have to wait a little longer to see them. **


	8. Chapter 8

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**I really don't know how I feel about this chapter, but I hope it's not disappointing!**

**Disclaimer-I don't own iCarly**

Ch. 8

Previously on iKnow You Well (**A/N: I've always wanted to do that!)**

_Once again, her body takes control and her hand raises up to knock softly on the wooden door. _

_Through her eyes, the door appears to be opening in slow-motion. She sees him standing there, somewhat surprised to see her. He runs a hand through his hair, while the other hand is still on the door. _

"_Sam?" He whispers her name. "What are you doing here?" _

(Back to Freddie's POV)

She doesn't move or speak. She looks about ready to run and I'm scared to say anything that might make her do that.

It takes her a minute before she regains the function to speak.

"I don't know," is her simple answer.

"Oh, okay! Well, do you wanna come in?"

"Not really," she answers. If we were in a different situation, I would probably laugh at her answer. But the tension around us is too thick to allow for that.

Even having said that, she still walks into my apartment. She takes small steps until she's right in the middle of my living room. I close the door and follow her.

"So, is everything okay?" I ask, nervously.

"Huh? Yeah, yeah," she nods her head. She comes across so lost, and I feel inclined to comfort her in some kind of way.

She takes a couple steps towards the window and gazes at the rain that has just begun to fall.

I see her reflection through the window glass and notice that her eyes are closed.

The silence makes me more nervous as each second passes. I'm pretty sure she can hear my heart beating anxiously. I don't even know why I'm this nervous.

Maybe it's…

Her presence in the room.

Being alone with her for the first time in a week. Just me and her.

The reason why she's here.

Or the reason I want her to be here.

I decide to take matters into my own hands.

"I can tell something's wrong with you," I state quietly.

My words sparks a reaction from her. She turns around to face me, her eyes completely open now, and boring into mine. I'm somewhat thankful for the safe distance between us. I don't think I can handle the distraction of having her body close by.

She tilts her head to the side, as if pondering her words before she utters them.

"Have you ever had that feeling where you're constantly surrounded by people, but you just feel so damn lonely on the inside?" Her question sounds more like a statement when she emphasizes every syllable on the last words. I'm guessing she doesn't really want an answer because she just goes on. "For weeks, I've been trying to figure out why I'm feeling this way. But I just don't know, Freddie." Her voice gets slightly louder with frustration.

This is one of the very few times when Sam lets out her vulnerable side, and one of the even fewer times that I get to see that side of her. I take in her words carefully. So, it's not exactly what I expected to hear from her, especially since our last encounter, but it's certainly mind blowing.

"No matter where I am or who I'm with, that feeling is always there. Except…" she stops and glances at me before continuing, "…except this one person. I don't know why whenever I'm with him, that feeling just disappears. Just like that, Freddie. It just disappears."

I know exactly who she's talking about, and it puts a small smile on my face. I try not to show her.

You see, Sam is not the best at understanding what she's feeling or actually expressing those feelings. I won't claim that I know exactly how she feels, however, there is one thing she said that sounds familiar to me. It's a weird and unexplainable feeling when you're with someone.

I try to get her to reach that conclusion, to see whether or not she's feeling the same way I am whenever I'm with her.

"Do you feel happy when you're with _that person_?" I ask.

No answer.

"Do you feel like you don't care about anything or anyone else in the world?"

Still no answer.

I walk a little closer.

"Do you feel like it's okay to be yourself? Laugh as loud as you want? Or eat as much as you want?"

I keep approaching her, my eyes never drifting away from her face once. .

"Like it's okay if your hair is messy and falling all over your face. And you're wearing an old t-shirt twice your size, but that person doesn't even care 'cause he thinks you look beautiful all the time, as long as you're smiling."

I don't know where all this is coming from. Her words has stirred something within me.

Sam came to _me_ and she's standing right in front me indirectly telling me that she might be experiencing the similar mixed and confused feelings that I have.

I don't realize that I have closed the remaining distance between us. I tower over her, still looking at her eyes directly.

Her lack of response gives me a little more courage.

"Sam?"

"I don't wanna have feelings for you, Freddie," she barely whispers.

"Are you saying you do?" I smirk at her.

To anyone else, her statement might have sounded like rejection. To me, it doesn't. That's probably the closest that Sam can get to telling me her feelings. She seems just as confused about this as I am.

My eyes shift away from her eyes. Her lips are slightly parted. All I need to do now is move closer a couple more inches. My hand nervously reaches over to her cheek and rests there.

I pull her closer. She seems hesitant and _almost _gives in. _Almost. _She steps back away from me and shakes her head.

"I, I can't! I knew I shouldn't have come here…" she gives me one last look before disappearing out the door.

I stay rooted to my spot of the floor, my hand still in the air, where her cheek was. The feeling of disappointment and frustration takes over me. I can't believe her! I can't believe how close I was! She's probably one of the strongest and bravest girls I know, except when it comes to facing her feelings.

If only she would give me the chance. I just need to know. I need to be sure about my feelings for her. I run my hand through my hair and throw myself down of the couch, thinking about everything that happened and everything she said.

In the dead quiet of the house, I hear a faint knock. If there was any noise in the room, I probably wouldn't have heard it at all. I stop and listen for any sound, then walk quietly to the door.

I have a hunch about who might be behind that door, and I try to ease my anticipation as I turn the knob to open it.

A sense of déjà vu washes over me when I see her standing there with the same expression she had when I opened the door for her a half hour ago.

Before I can say or do anything, Sam seems to have made up her mind.

She throws herself at me, and my hands automatically fly out to catch her.

Her lips meets mine in a fiery kiss. Her hands are at each side of my face. She moves one of them to the back of my head and buries it in my hair. My mind is focused on nothing but her kisses. I barely manage to shut the door with my foot before I lose myself completely to her.

Her body presses closer against mine with each frantic breath she takes, driving me more crazy with her touch. I let one of my hands rest on her waist and wander around her lower back, while I use the other hand to guide us along the wall and into the living room.

Sam doesn't seem to be fazed by any of our movements and instead deepens the kiss. A little moan escapes her as our tongues battle in an unfamiliar way.

When oxygen becomes a serious issue, we both pull back just a little. Her eyes flutter open, then close again. I know that she's not properly thinking right now. It's almost as if she's drunk from what just happened, or else she probably wouldn't still be standing here, with my arms around her.

She whispers my name and I quickly try to distract her. I trace my lips along her neck while my hands move along her back and into her hair. That seems to do that trick!

She grabs my head and pulls my lips back to hers. Her kiss is long and sweet, and it leaves us breathless once again.

I don't know how long we stay like this, but I dread the moment when Sam comes back to her senses and realizes what we're doing.

Yes, we've kissed before, but it was nothing like this. Yes, I've dreamed of kissing her before, but I never imagined it would be like this. I can't decide what I'm more happy about: the fact that I'm finally kissing her, or that her lack of resistance is telling me that she wants this as much as I do…and that maybe my feelings, as confusing as they are, may not be one-sided.

"Freddie! Mommy's home!" my mom's voice echoes from the doorway.

"Shit!" I whisper. How did I not hear the door open?

Sam is frozen in place. Her eyes are wide with shock as she takes in what just happened.

"Oh my god!" she says, not bothering to lower her voice.

My mom will probably be in the room in about ten seconds. I have no time to try and talk to Sam or calm her down. I grab her by the shoulders and drag her to my room.

Before closing the door, I turn her so she's looking at me, "Sam, I'll be right back. We'll talk about this I promise. Just stay right here and I'll try to get rid of my mom. Okay? Just stay right here!"

She nods her head at me but I don't think she's really paying attention to what I'm telling her.

As soon as I close the door, my mom appears in front of me, just as I expected.

"Hi, mom." My voice does not sound normal.

"Hi, sweetheart. What were you doing?" she asks in her usual nosy way.

"Um, nothing. Just working on some iCarly stuff," I answer quickly. "I almost forgot to tell you, I don't have anymore of that night cream you got me, you know, the one that prevents ticks overnight." The truth is it's still full and I haven't even used it once. But, she doesn't have to know that. I have to get her out of here as fast as possible.

"Oh my! Why didn't you say anything sooner? I'll go right now and get you some. It's very important to use it continuously…" she rambles on, takes her purse off the coffee table and walks to the door again. "I'll be back in exactly thirteen minutes."

When I hear the door close behind her, I rush back to my room.

"Sam?" I call out into the dark.

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	9. Chapter 9

**So so sorry for the long wait! My next update will be a lot sooner. Next chapter is going to be prom. I'm so excited to write it and I know a lot of you are looking forward to it. I've got a lot of ideas for the chapeter but I want to know what you guys really want to happen, so I can finish writing it faster. **

**As always, thank you so much for all your reviews/favs/alerts. **

**Disclaimer: iCarly is not mine! **

Ch. 9

It's dark in the room, but the light from the street below shines through my window. The window is open just enough for a person that's exactly her size to climb out. The jump to the fire escape on the left of the window is tricky but not impossible. After reaching the fire escape, the way down the building is quite simple. Knowing Sam, that's exactly what she did after I left her in the room.

I fall back onto my bed and let out a sigh of frustration. I specifically told her to wait for me, but what else could I expect from Sam.

* * *

The week has passed by without the slightest interaction with Sam. It's not hard for her to avoid someone when she's determined not to see them. At one point, I believed that she might not even be coming to school, until I saw her with Carly walking to class, her long hair flying behind her. The same soft hair that I was running my hands through not too long ago.

How long ago was it since she stood at my doorstep? Since she kissed me with more passion than I ever imagined? The images from that night flash through my mind. They appear dreamlike, but I have no doubt in my mind that what happened was completely real. I know everything was real because, right now, I could not be more sure of my feelings for her.

That kiss…well, the better term would probably be "that make out" or "that very hot make out"…it was more than just making out with someone I'm attracted to. I can't quite explain the feeling, or the warmth that flows around me and makes my heart race when I think about her. The happiness that comes with knowing that Sam was kissing me, and not any other girl. Just knowing that I was with her, and not anyone else.

It feels liberating to finally admit this to myself.

The bigger challenge, however, is getting her to admit that she feels the same way.

The two girls notice me standing at my locker. Carly stops to wave at me, while Sam becomes interested in her shoes. I wave back at Carly, and an idea starts forming in my head.

I can't tell if Sam told Carly anything, but if there's anyone that can help me right now, it's definitely Carly.

I walk to class right before the bell rings and take my usual seat, then pull out my Pear phone to text Carly.

_Hey Carls! Meet me today at your place after school. Make sure Sam isn't there. It's important!_

I read over it once before sending it. She replies immediately and confirms how curious she's become. Her response assures me that she doesn't know anything, which means I have to tell her _everything_.

The rest of the school day goes by uneventfully and I walk faster than usual to get home. I drop my stuff on my bed and make my way to the apartment next door. I let myself in without knocking, which is not unusual. Spencer stands in the middle of the room covered in paint as he works on a new, unidentifiable sculpture.

"Hi, Freddo!"

"Hey, Spencer. Carly home yet?"

"No. I think she told me she's dropping off Sam somewhere before coming here," he answers, completely distracted as he dips his left hand in orange paint.

I wonder what Carly came up with to keep Sam away from here for a while.

"Do you think it's appropriate for a unicorn to have an orange butt?" Spencer asks me seriously.

"Um, sure."

"Yeah, you're right. Why would it be inappropriate? It's not like I'm gonna paint it…" Spencer is interrupted as the door opens and Carly walks in. "Carly! Look at my unicorn's butt…IT'S ORANGE!"

His younger sister shoots him a weird look, "That's pretty cool!" she says in a low voice. Then she turns her attention to me, "Hey, Freddie! Let's go up to the studio."

I follow her up the stairs, both of us silent. As soon as we step into the room, she turns to face me, "Oh my god, I've been trying to figure what you'd want to talk about all day long. So come on, spill!" she says, frantically.

I take a deep breath before talking, and once I start talking, I can't stop. I tell her everything: when I think my feelings started to change for Sam, the little things I notice about her, how I feel when I spent time with her, how I love to spend time with her, the day we almost kissed in the school hallway. All leading up to how she showed up at my house, what she told me. And finally, I tell her that we kissed. Carly's reaction is actually funny. She doesn't say anything, but the look on her face says it all.

"So, that's pretty much it," I finish, running a hand through my hair.

"Wow!" was all she says at first. "I asked Sam about you a couple of days ago and she said nothing happened!"

"And that's why I need your help! She won't talk about what happened. She won't even talk to me. If there's anyone that can make her talk, it's you."

We spend the next ten minutes in silence. I grab the red beanbag and sit, trying to come up with a plan. Carly paces around the room, also thinking. I know she is still shocked, but I also know that she really wants to help me. The sound of Carly's phone beeping interrupts our silence.

"It's Sam! She's on her way!" Carly says. "What are we going to do? No, don't talk, just listen. I think I've got a plan. I'm gonna go downstairs and talk to her. You stay on the stairs so you can hear. You better not make a sound or let her know that you're here!" Her eyes move back and forth as she talks. I nod my head at her to show her that I understand before she jumps in the elevator and goes downstairs.

I slowly tip-toe down the stairs and stop when I hear the two girls' voices clearly. They engage in a pointless conversation as I get more nervous. Carly said she has a plan and I'm anxious to know what it is.

"Did you get what I asked you for?" Carly asks her.

"I got exactly what you asked for! Four-inch tall, silver high heels, size seven. Right?" Sam says, as if reading off a list.

"Perfect! Did you find the right size for the pair of heels you wanted?"

"Yeah. It was the last one left! I'll show you it later," she answers. "Can you believe prom is next Friday?"

"Speaking of prom," Carly says in an excited tone, which gives me a feeling that her plan is just about to start, "Chris asked me to be his girlfriend!"

"What does that have to do with prom?" Sam asks, echoing my thoughts.

"Well, don't you remember how I told you I wanted to go prom with him as his girlfriend," Carly explains.

I really don't see where Carly is going with this…

"Anyways, that's not what's important. Let me tell you how it happened," she continues.

I still don't see where this is going…

"First, I showed up at his house at night…" Carly starts.

Ah! Now I see what she's doing!

"He opens the door and I start getting really nervous. He asks me 'what are you doing here?' and I tell him I don't know, but he lets me in. There was no one home but him."

I risk taking a peek from behind the wall to see Sam's expression, to see if she might be catching on to what Carly is doing, but her back is facing me and I can't see anything.

"You should've seen how nervous I was, but I knew that I had to be there, I couldn't leave. I just talked and talked. I told him how I was feeling, and how happy I feel when I'm with him. He stood there listening, and I thought I scared him away. So, I left."

I know that Carly is mostly making this up, but she sounds so convincing. Sam still hasn't said a word.

"But I saw something in his eyes," Carly goes on. "I went back and knocked on his door. As soon as he opened the door, I just jumped at him and started kissing him…"

"Just stop!" Sam finally stops her.

Her voice was low, but her tone was sharp enough to make Carly stop talking immediately.

"He told you," she says in that same low voice again. It almost sounds like a question.

"Yeah, he did. But, I kinda hoped you would be the one to tell me," Carly responds.

"Well, what am I supposed to tell you when _I_ don't even know what happened, or how it happened, or what the hell is going on?" Sam's voice gets louder.

I attempt another peek at the scene going on right around the wall. This time, I am able to see Sam's face. It's clouded with distress and sadness. I'm almost tempted to come out from my hiding spot and comfort her in any way possible.

"Then, why won't you talk to us, Sam? Why won't you talk to me, or Freddie?" Carly pleads with her. "Stop being so scared of your feelings. It's okay if you admit that you like him, Sam!"

"I'm pretty sure I already admitted that to the nub," Sam replies, sounding irritated. "I literally spilled out every single damn emotion I had right in front of his face. And what did he do? He just stood there! Now I can't even look at him."

Carly looks at her confused, "That's not how he sees it. He thinks your avoiding him 'cause you regret what happened."

She sums up my thoughts pretty well. I had no idea Sam assumed that I already knew about her feelings for me and yet did nothing about it.

Once again, I'm tempted to reveal myself, but I fear that she may no longer open up to us, so I stop myself.

"How could he not get it? What does he want me to say? 'Oh Freddie! My feelings for you are so overwhelming that it takes my breath away. Oh Freddie! Every time we're in the same room together, I just wanna kiss you so bad," she mimics the last part in a high-pitched voice.

Even though she's not completely serious when she says this, I can't stop my heart from pounding wildly after hearing those words coming from her.

"I think that would make him happy," Carly chuckles at her best friend.

"Shut up, Carls," Sam jokes, also laughing.

All of the sudden, Carly shrieks happily and runs at Sam to hug her.

"Oh my god! This is so exciting! I'm so happy for you guys."

"I think that's another reason why I didn't want to tell you," Sam pretends to be serious, but the smile on her face gives it away.

A beeping noise fills the air and I quickly realize that it's coming from my pocket. Carly turns Sam away from the stairs as I try to silence my beeping phone.

"Um, what's that noise? Is that your phone ringing?" Sam asks.

"Huh? No, no! It's probably Spencer's…something," Carly tries to cover up. "Just don't pay attention to it."

"Okay! So what are we gonna do now?"

"About what?" Carl says, still distracted. "Oh right, Freddie! Well, don't worry about it. I'll take care of everything."

"Yeah right, Shay. You expect me to just sit back and watch you meddle with my love life!"

"Did I hear you say '_love'_ life?" Carly teases her.

"You know what I mean," Sam answers quickly as the blush creeps up on her cheeks.

"Look, I promise not to meddle! Just let me handle this. Please? I only want you to be happy," Carly uses her usual, persuading tone.

Sam rolls her eyes and gives in, "Fine, whatever! It's not like I've got any ideas about what to do."

"Yes! Thank you, thank you!" the brunette shouts, as she hugs her best friend again.

I lean against the wall with the biggest smile on my face. I really don't know how Carly is going to "handle" it, but after hearing what Sam said, I can't wait to see what's going to happen.

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**Don't forget to leave your thoughts for next chapter. Would you like to see Freddie or Sam jealous? Should they dance together? Which song? **


	10. Chapter 10

**I don't think its enough to apologize for how long it took me to update this. I had so many things to deal with, but I always felt bad because I never wanted you to think I forgot this story. After reading all the great reviews I've been getting since the last chapter, I finally had some time today and decided to write this. The story should be ending soon but I'm really trying to find the right way to finish it. So, enjoy this chapter and please excuse any mistakes because I didn't have a lot of time to go over it. **

**Disclaimer: iCarly is not mine! **

**Ch. 10**

It's the night of the Ridgeway Prom. The Shay's living room is unusually quiet. Spencer Shay sits on the couch entertaining himself with some new apps on his Pear phone. There are no new sculptures around the room, no younger sister telling him what to do, and even his permanent house guest, the bickering best friends, are not heard around the living room.

Instead, the noisy and busy atmosphere has shifted to Carly's room upstairs, where Carly and Sam are getting ready for the most anticipated night of their senior year. Sam sits in the chair facing away from the mirror, while Carly applies her makeup. Carly's hair and make up is already done. The only thing needed to complete her look is the perfect dress, neatly hidden in the closet.

Empty bags and candy wrappers are spread out around the girls. Once Carly starts working on Sam's hair, the blonde grabs another bag of pretzels. The salty crumbs fall on her green pajama tank top.

"See, this is why I wouldn't let you wear your dress now? I knew you would get it all dirty!" Carly chastises her.

"Sorry, mom!" Sam rolls her eyes and pops another piece in her mouth. "Are you done yet? How come your hair didn't take that long?"

"Your hair is longer, Sam. And I'm almost done, stop whining."

A couple moments later, the door bell rings.

Carly starts freaking out, "Oh my god! They're here! Okay, hand me the hairspray, and I'm done with your hair. I'm gonna get the dresses, while you go wash your hands. Okay? You better not ruin your make up, Sam!" she warns her.

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry," Sam says, making her way to the bathroom. She takes a look at her reflection. "Wow, this actually looks good, Carls! You could get a job at a hair salon or something this summer." She chuckles as her best friend yells at her to hurry up.

* * *

**Freddie's POV **

I beg my mom for the millionth time to stop taking pictures or else I might be late. Finally, she agrees. She fixes my tie for the tenth time that evening, gives me a quick peck on the cheek, and lets me out the door.

I walk straight across to Carly's place, where we all agreed to meet before leaving. I can already hear the voices inside, so I know that the others have made it here before me. I hold Sandy's corsage in my left hand and open the door with my right.

"I really can't understand what poor guy would willingly go with you looking like that," Frankie says defensively. He's in a traditional black tuxedo with his arms crossed as he faces Sandy.

"You just can't stand the fact that I look this hot!" Sandy replies with her usual confident attitude.

And I have to admit, she does look hot! Her dress is mostly black, with pink detailing all around. It barely touches the floor and the rest of the accessories are mostly black, with only a hint of pink. Surprisingly, the pink color does not clash with her red hair, which seems a lot darker than I remember. She's also added a couple of pink streaks to her hair to match the pink in her dress. It's definitely a different look, but it suits her.

Sandy is still glaring intently at Frankie and pays no attention to the fact that I just walked in. Spencer and Chris stand to the side and watch the duo as they start bickering again. The scene looks so familiar that it almost makes me laugh.

I close the door really hard and draw the full attention of the people in the room.

"Freddo!"

"What's up, Freddie?"

"Hey Freddie!" Sandy approaches me. "You look so good in that tux," she glances back at Frankie as she says this.

I remember our deal and I realize that I'm supposed to be helping her make Frankie jealous.

"Thanks! You look really pretty!" I say as I hand her the corsage. I smile at her and give her a hug. Frankie's murderous expression becomes visible over her shoulder, so I quickly step back. I grab her hand and walk over to talk with the others.

Spencer seems to really like Chris, which makes me happy knowing that he finally likes one of Carly's boyfriends.

Speaking of Carly, "Are the girls ready yet?" I ask Spencer.

"They should be! Carlaaaay! Saaaam!" He yells up the stairs.

"Coming!" Carly's voice can be heard at the top of the stairs.

She comes down slowly to prevent herself from tripping over her long dress. Chris steps up and takes his girlfriend's hand. He whispers something in her ear and gives her a quick kiss.

Carly's dress is an emerald green color, which contrasts nicely with her dark hair. Her hair is styled in a simple and elegant up do, with only a few strands framing her face . The dress is strapless and flows to the floor, with a gold band at the top and near the waist. The rest of her accessories, like her earrings, bracelets, and small purse are also the same gold as in the dress. Everyone around the room compliments Carly on how great she looks. I give my best friend a small hug and tell her she looks pretty.

But my mind is certainly somewhere else, waiting for another girl to make her way down the stairs. Just as I think that, I hear the sound of heels clicking on the wooden floor.

Just as Carly had done, she comes down very slowly. Although in her case, it's probably because she's not used to walking in high heels. Her eyes look up to meet mine, and she leaves me breathless for those few seconds. Her eyes reflect naturally off the blue color of her dress. It's definitely short, falling right about her mid-thigh. The top of the dress is fitted tightly around her body, with a silver hem across her chest. The rest of it ruffles around her, drawing even more attention to her body.

Her blonde locks are curled more elegantly than usual, her bangs swept to one side, revealing her eyes, more than usual. The other side of her hair is swept back with a small silver pin.

Even though, Carly, Spencer, and I have seen Sam dressed up before, the effect she has around the room is still noticeable. Carly stares at her proudly, while Spencer looks at her in the same way he looked at Carly when she came down. Sandy smiles and winks at me, while Frankie, and even Chris, stand with their mouths slightly open, completely unfamiliar to this side of Sam.

My reaction, however, is probably the funniest and stupidest of them all. As I gawk at her like an idiot, my brain seems to have stopped functioning. So, when Frankie walks forward to face Sam, similar to what Chris had done previously, I quickly step up from behind him and stand directly in front of her. I give her a goofy smile and do nothing but stare at her. It's only when I hear Carly and Spencer snickering behind me, that I come back to my senses. Sam tries to hold in her laughter as I take a few steps back and stand next to Sandy.

"First rule of the night: don't forget who your date is!" Spencer whispers loudly, and I'm sure everyone in the room heard him.

After a few quiet giggles, Spencer takes out his fancy camera and we all line up for the picture taking. I secretly wish that everyone has forgotten about the stupid situation I put myself in. I probably looked like an idiot to her, but I just couldn't help my impulsive reaction to when I first saw her, or how I wished that she really was my date for tonight, to show her that I appreciate her beauty as more than just make up and dresses, that I could make her night magical just like she said every girl dreams about.

I'm blinded by the camera flash as Spencer takes one picture after another. It takes some convincing, but Carly finally makes him agree to let us leave. We all make our way to the limo waiting for us outside of Bushwell Plaza.

The ride in the limo is not that long. It's filled with small conversations, laughter, and quite a lot of staring on my part. I watch each and every one of her actions carefully. Every small laugh, and every flirtatious smile. The best part of it all is when they were directed at me.

We finally arrive at the hall that the prom committee has booked for the night. It is obvious that they have definitely done a great job. There is no apparent theme, however the silver decorations surrounding the enormous room give it a fairytale-like appearance. We spot our group of friends scattered around the hall and head toward them to say hi. Compliments are exchanged between the girls as they talk about their dresses, while the guys chat about one thing or another. Even when we get separated, my eyes never leave hers. I try my hardest to flirt with Sandy whenever Frankie is looking our way. He catches on and snakes his arm around Sam's waist as a way of retaliation, causing me to look away.

After talking with a couple more friends, Sandy and I make our way to the long table at the side, covered with various foods and drinks. Carly and Chris join us after a while. The music becomes too loud to actually carry a normal conversation, but we manage to get a few words across. Carly and Sandy continue to comment on the other girls' dresses, with comments like, "Did you see what she was wearing?" and "I loved her dress!". Chris and I talk about how fast the school year has gone by and how we remembered thinking this was so far away when we were still merely freshmen.

All this time, Sam and Frankie are on their own. Carly catches me staring ahead, looking for Sam among the crowd of people. She smiles at me knowingly and then winks at Chris.

"Uh, I have to go somewhere…I'll be right back," Chris says unconvincingly. I watch him as he finds Frankie and pulls him away from Sam to talk with him privately. People start coming and going, blocking my vision. I no longer see Sam and Frankie as they disappear into the crowd.

"Hey guys! Let's go dance!" Carly yells over the music.

Sensing my hesitancy, she grabs my arm, as well as Sandy's, and drags us to the dance floor, as Chris follows behind her. A range of the year's most popular songs echo around the dance floor. It's too crowded, and it's hard not to bump into people with every move, but no on seems to mind. It becomes easy to get lost in the music. While dancing, I glimpse Sam's unmistakable blond curls. She smiles widely at me as she too dances with her date. She appears to be having fun, which leaves me a little confused. I'm happy that she's definitely enjoying herself, but I can't stop my obvious jealousy that I'm not the one dancing with her, with my arms around her.

Halfway through one of the slower songs, I feel Carly pull me away from Sandy, while Chris grabs Sam's hand and starts dancing with her. Frankie and Sandy stare at each other in confusion, before Frankie wraps his arms around her waist and smiles at her. The two seem to be lost in their own world as they dance together.

I turn my attention to Carly. She clearly does not get the point. Wasn't she supposed to be worried about getting Sam and I together? I guess she really wasn't kidding when she promised Sam that she wouldn't meddle. I can't deny that I feel disappointed at that. What did I think was going to happen tonight? Did I really think that everything will just work out perfectly and she will simply run to my arms as soon as Carly says something?

While I am lost in my thoughts, Carly lets go of my hand and returns to dance with her date. I remain rooted to my spot for a few moments, searching for Sam, who seemed to have disappeared. I wave at Carly as I walk away from her and see her whisper something in Chris's ear.

I leave the hall completely. The noise and the chatter of the dance start to fade slowly as I walk outside to catch some fresh air.

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